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martafritz
Joined: 29 Jan 2006
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:35 am Post subject: Jordan - safety issues |
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I've read very mixed things about Jordan in terms of safety there for Americans.
Could I please ask anyone who is there or recently been there to comment on this?
To provide some detail - I've been invited to go there by a close friend, who is Jordanian and lives in Amman. I will fly from the US alone, but once I arrive I will be with him at all times. Before I accept the invitation, I'd like to get the opinions of others on safety issues there.
All thoughts and comments are most appreciated!
Thank you.
Last edited by martafritz on Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:29 am Post subject: |
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I have friends who are there regularly - both Amman and usual tourist areas - and they have not mentioned any problems. But, just like all of the Middle East, one must factor in the possibility that things could deteriorate.
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Bindair Dundat
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123
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| Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:55 am Post subject: |
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Jordan has had its share of terrorist attacks and politically motivated bombings, including several in which Americans and "American interests" were targeted. With something like 60-65% of the population Palestinian and the country being next door to Iraq, you can't expect it to be as safe as one of the Gulf countries. King Hussein found it quite daunting at times.
I lived there once and found the social atmosphere much more difficult than that of the Gulf. There were fewer western expats, so those who were there stood out more. I think that whether you become a target for sustained criticism as a representative of your country or your religion depends on how well you can get along with people and deflect, or absorb, the inevitable barbs. I've known lots of people who loved Jordan, and lots who hated it.
Oh, yes, if you're talking strictly of safety, you're not likely to be grabbed off the street and hustled off to become a reluctant star on the evening news. You are much more likely to be knocked down by a speeding driver on his way home to iftar. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:50 am Post subject: |
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| With something like 60-65% of the population Palestinian and the country being next door to Iraq, you can't expect it to be as safe as one of the Gulf countries |
I'm not sure how the presence of Palestinians makes a country dangerous. I know that the Jordanian government likes to invent "Hamas plots" so as to gain even more US support - and funding - but I'm not aware of too many recent attacks on "American interests" which involved Palestinians in Jordan.
In any case, there have been far more terrorist attacks directed at "Westerners" in Saudi Arabia than there have been in Jordan.
If you ask me, if anyone is in danger in Jordan, it's their puppet 'king'.
http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/fairenough/latimes457.html |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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I had seen that article, and it doesn't bode well. I miss King Hussein's ability to reason with all sides.
VS |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I had seen that article, and it doesn't bode well. |
It doesn't? Personally I wouldn't shed a tear if "King" Abdullah of Jordan were overthrown, and his "Hashemite" family sent into exile. In fact, I would cheer. He is perhaps the least intelligent and most pathetically servile of all Arab despots, and that is really saying something. I know people will murmur about 'instability' and the 'alternatives being worse', but it seems that an increasing numbr of Jordanians, including those from what should be the Boy King's power-base, would be happy to take their chances.
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| I miss King Hussein's ability to reason with all sides. |
I'm no fan of his father either, however charming and 'moderate' he may have appeared on Larry King Live. However, I will certainly agree he was far far less bad than his son. As someone said, Hussein was an intelligent tyrant; his son is a foolish tyrant. |
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Bindair Dundat
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123
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| Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Cleopatra wrote: |
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| With something like 60-65% of the population Palestinian and the country being next door to Iraq, you can't expect it to be as safe as one of the Gulf countries |
I'm not sure how the presence of Palestinians makes a country dangerous. |
That much is obvious from your rant about the Hashemites.
| Cleopatra wrote: |
| I know that the Jordanian government likes to invent "Hamas plots" so as to gain even more US support - and funding - but I'm not aware of too many recent attacks on "American interests" which involved Palestinians in Jordan. |
Too many for me are apparently not enough for you.
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| In any case, there have been far more terrorist attacks directed at "Westerners" in Saudi Arabia than there have been in Jordan. |
Yes, we knew that, but I don't recall this thread being about KSA.
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| If you ask me, if anyone is in danger in Jordan, it's their puppet 'king'. |
*snicker* |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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| That much is obvious from your rant about the Hashemites. |
Another poster who believes that vague attempts at sarcasm area substitute for argument. Just because the 'Hashemites' are despised by Palestinian nationalists (and indeed by all Arab nationalists, and by most Arabs in general, come to think of it) does not, to my mind, mean that Jordan is dangerous.
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| Too many for me are apparently not enough for you. |
Details of all these recent attacks on "American interests" in Jordan perpetrated by Palestinians?
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Yes, we knew that, but I don't recall this thread being about KSA. |
I don't either. However, unlike you (?), I do recall these words being written by you not so long ago:
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| you can't expect it to be as safe as one of the Gulf countries |
Now, however, it seems that "we knew" otherwise all along?!? |
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